


Domestic Househunters

by Canon_Is_Relative, stardust_made



Series: The College AU [9]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Humor, Bottom Dean, Curtain Fic, Dogs, Domesticity, Epistolary, First Time Bottoming, First Time Topping, Hot Tub, Injured Dean, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Slash, Young Winchesters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:33:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3824203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canon_Is_Relative/pseuds/Canon_Is_Relative, https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardust_made/pseuds/stardust_made
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of five pieces set post-<a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2816813/chapters/6319166">Catch Me in a Dark Room</a>. Charting the boys' journey in settling into their new relationship. All centered around the theme of 'normal life' and domesticity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some of these are text exchanges, some narrative extracts that all deal with the next step for our College AU!verse Sam and Dean: finding a new home and working out the ins and outs of their new life. Since these are our special features, we are relying on your understanding about any inconsistencies and/or failings you may find. We've tried working on these pieces to the best of our abilities right now, but we confess it was a tough choice between having to rework all the extra pieces in order to develop them as perfectly as we aimed for our main story to be or scraping everything off and not posting them at all. So, we settled for the middle ground. Hope you all enjoy!♥

“Okay,” Sam said, sliding into the car without looking up from his notes. "Here’s the thing. What you want — like, a fixer-upper with a yard and a garage — they’re kind of hard to come by in Madison. I mean, to rent.”

A big hand covered the page he was trying to read from, knocking a few loose papers into the foot well. Dean swallowed Sam’s disgruntled ‘Hey!’ with a long kiss, not letting up until Sam sighed and kissed him back, though he was totally rolling his eyes behind closed lids and magnanimously refraining from calling Dean ‘Old One-Track.’

“Okay, geek boy. Talk at me.” Dean put the Impala into gear and drove in the direction Sam pointed them.

“Um. So. Yeah. I’ve been doing some research. And, I mean, we could find a place in the city, sure. But the thing is, Dean, what we’d pay for rent? We’re looking at some real dives to stay in a price range that makes sense. And I know you said you want to find a place you can fix up, but if we’re only renting, that doesn’t make sense since we’ll have no equity to show for the work we do, you know?”

Sam glanced to the side to see Dean mouthing the word, _‘Equity,’_ with a frown, and he sighed. 

“What I mean is, I think it _might_ make more sense if we look at places we could actually. You know. Buy. Own. And, uh. Maybe look a little ways outside Madison. Some of the small towns around here have a lot more affordable real estate.”

“I can’t believe the words _‘real estate’_ are coming out of your mouth,” Dean muttered. “Oh wait, you’re still my little brother so yeah, actually, I can. You already got curtains picked out, don’t you, Sammy? Just make sure you find us a place that accepts homeowners of all, what was it, race, religions, and, you know, the other thing.”

Sam grinned and knocked his knee against Dean’s. “If you actually think I want us to end up in some gated community where something like that has to be _said_ , I think we should go back to your house and let me fuck some sense into you. Don’t care if Rashid hears."

“I’ll…fuck some sense into you…” Dean muttered, overcorrecting when he almost swerved over the center line because he was glaring at Sam, and Sam squeezed his knee and called it a win.

“Okay, second left and we’re at the first place. Yeah, here, pull over.”

Sam figured, this first day out, they’d just do drive-bys of all the places he’d scared up, get a look at them to see if any felt like they were worth scheduling a showing. He’d been so excited, after Dean came up with the idea of them finding a place to move into together, couldn’t wait to dive into the research of it all. Join up all the dots and follow every lead, find them the perfect place to live. 

A couple of frustrating weeks later and he was thoroughly sick of Craigslist, equally peeved with FSBO. He knew what Dean wanted, had a picture in his mind as clear as if Dean had beamed it there. Something solid, established but not too old. Something with character but not weird or creepy, and definitely not bland, either. There had to be a porch, there had to be a garage, there had to be a yard. (And there should be some big trees but under no circumstances should it look anything like their house in Lawrence.) He knew that, if he asked Dean, his stupid brother would just say something about how all he needs is four walls and a roof and a bed big enough for Sam’s octopus limbs, and that was why he hadn’t asked. He needed to find them a place that would be a home without feeling like a trap. 

Sam made his point to Dean as they circled the city. The houses they could rent were mostly dives, the houses they liked were too expensive to buy (which was another hard-to-broach point between them; it wasn’t like Dean was stupid about money, it’s just that his context was different from Sam’s), and the houses they could afford to put a downpayment on were all declared to be not good enough. Though that might have been more to do with how the idea of _owning_ spooked Dean. Sam couldn’t tell and couldn’t afford to push; he was spooked enough himself as it was, and none of the ones they looked at caught his eye enough to make it worth the risk.

They went a little farther afield after lunch, stopping first in Fitchburg — Dean was utterly uninterested in the house but asked if they should check up on Asher and Michael, so Sam told him he’d been keeping an eye on them since he moved to Madison; Michael was almost out of high school and the family was fine. They swung through Oregon next — meh. Stoughton — cute, but…not for them. Up to Cottage Grove, then Sun Prairie, Lodi — a possibility there, Sam made a mental note of the one house Dean hadn’t sneered at. They drove on in silence until they [crossed the Wisconsin River and pulled into Sauk City.](http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles64316.jpg)

“Dude.” Dean dug his elbow into Sam’s arm and pulled over on the side of the road, pointing. “That is a bald friggin’ eagle.”

Sam craned his neck, looked out Dean’s window. “I can’t see it.”

Dean hauled him out of the car and they stood looking out over the river, [watching the bird circle](http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/41554102.jpg) and finally dive out of sight.

“Well.” Dean cleared his throat. “God bless America.” Sam smacked him across the ribs. 

They got back into the car and drove slowly through the town, the Impala gliding easily along the wide streets like a fish in a familiar current, her windows down to take in the small-town sights and sounds around them. At a stop sign, Dean snorted and tipped his chin to point across the street. “Dude. Antique stores.”

Sam grinned. “So you’re saying we’ll fit right in?”

"Maybe _you_ will, Grandma." There was a large collection of dolls in the shop window, and Sam laughed out loud.

The house, when they found it, was kind of a dive. Like. A lot of kind of a dive. As Dean idled out in front, Sam shifted the papers in his lap, looking for the printout and….yep. Now that he was looking for it, there it was: legalese for ‘[Has been standing empty, sucks, probably has rodents ‘cause who knows when someone last checked it out, priced this way for a reason, buy at your own risk.](http://images.craigslist.org/00m0m_1XkCAcspBxe_600x450.jpg)’ 

Fronting the road was a room with big windows that looked newer than the rest of the building, like it used to be a nice open porch that someone decided would make a nice extra room. Which pissed Sam off. Enclosed porches were for hoarders, extra space to store all the shit they didn’t need but were too scared to get rid of it. But then he noticed what looked like a broken-down wheelchair ramp leading up to the front door and he started to feel a little bad. Okay, so maybe some old person had died in this house and their relatives hadn’t been able to either keep it up or sell it. 

Sam sighed and crossed his ankle over his knee, turning to apologize to Dean for wasting the half-hour drive out here. Dean wasn’t looking at him, though, [Dean was staring at the house](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/89/f6/05/89f6053775972bffdcff76c77eaa8cfb.jpg). Sam nudged him with an elbow. “Think maybe it’s haunted or something?” 

Dean was out of the car and across the lawn before Sam unbuckled. “Dude!”

“Check it out,” Dean was peering through one of the broken windows on the porch. “What do you say, knock out these lame walls, turn it into an actual front porch…maybe reinforce the roof,” He added, reaching in to rattle a rusty chain that was hanging from the ceiling, smirking at Sam. “I know, I know, get your mind out of the gutter. I was thinking we could hang up one of those chairs, you know, swinging porch things.”

“A _porch swing_?” Sam asked, holding on to his scowl by force of will alone because, holy crap, Dean sounded serious.

“Porch swing, exactly,” Dean beamed at him, turned to survey the view from where they stood. Took in the quiet street lined with mature oaks, overgrown gardens but nicely kept houses with evidence of kids and pets in almost every yard. Sam looked away from his brother and took a deep breath, turned back to the house and tried to see it as something other than a dump that probably had rats in the walls and raccoons in the shed. 

If the lawn was mowed and the porch fixed up, the dilapidated front fence torn out and the sagging gutters replaced, give the whole thing a good coat of paint and maybe a bright colored door. Like red. Sam always thought red doors were cool. There was a solid-looking garage out back, two-car, and an attached shed. The whole thing was kind of unbearably charming, he realized. Run-down, overgrown, rustic as hell…and not too far off from the snapsot of _‘home’_ that Sam had been carrying around for decades. _Dammit._

“Dude!” Sam said again, looking swiftly around before following his brother into the back yard. “We’re trespassing.”

Dean actually laughed out loud at that, swinging open the back gate. The fence in the front yard was a sad, sunbleached decorative affair but this was a newish, built-for-business deal, high wooden planks and an actual gate with a latch. In the middle of the yard Sam spied a metal stake with a rope attached, and a sudden wash of longing took him by surprise, turned him away from Dean while he caught his breath, clenched his fists against the sense memory of a shaggy golden head between his palms.

He counted to ten as he calculated the odds of Dean letting him name their dog Spock. Maybe Scotty. More subtle, Dean probably wouldn’t realize until it was too late. God, had he really been pining for that dog for ten years? The things you learn when you let your guard down.

Dean already had his boot knife out, was working on the back door. “Dean,” Sam hissed, coming up onto the back porch. “You can’t — we’re not _breaking into_ our new house!”

The clapboard siding was rough against his back, Dean’s fists two solid points of unyielding contact on his chest while his mouth opened over Sam’s, and Sam thought dumbly that he was done categorizing the list of places and situations that made Dean want to jump him.

“So,” he asked, hours later, back at Dean’s place and curled up in his bed. “We’re gonna do this?”

“Hell yeah, Sammy,” Dean mumbled, voice muffled in Sam’s hair, sounding half drugged and kind of delirious with the happy. “Gonna get us a house, gonna be awesome. Gonna make it real nice. Now go the fuck to sleep, tired me out draggin’ my ass all over the state.”

Sam huffed, thought of Dean’s face when they almost fell off the porch because they were so preoccupied with making out, and started to laugh. He was shaking the bed, breathless and giddy and completely unable to stop, when Dean rolled on top of him, crushing the breath out of him and, incidentally, shutting him the hell up.

“You know it’s going to be a lot of work,” Sam said later, into the darkness of Dean’s bedroom. “You know we might not even get it.”

He shifted, wincing at the pull of the bruise on his hip, courtesy of their new house and Dean’s impatience. He was about to graduate. Finally, he’d have that piece of paper to put on his wall; the culmination of his hopes and dreams since age fourteen. He didn’t want to get caught up in another laughing jag so he forced his thoughts away from caps and gowns and his childhood ambitions that were so sweet and so simple. It was nice, he thought, it was good, the way he’d clung so hard to the idea that he could check off some items on a list and find happiness at the end of it. He liked that about himself. 

Dean shifted beside him, sighed in his sleep, and Sam grimaced, breathing out hard through his nose to try and dispel the waft of sleep-breath his brother had sent his way. Sam turned his head to look out the window, watch as the moon and passing headlights traced the room in quicksilver. He was about to graduate, and then…

He kept catching himself up on the feeling that he was missing something. That there must be some key piece to the puzzle that he was ignoring in favor of feeling like he had the full picture, because it couldn’t be this easy, right? He had to be missing something. He’d always hated that about puzzles, honestly. It felt so cheap, so many interchangeable pieces, and every time you tried the wrong one you had to pry it back up again, usually bending the piece in the process, making it hard to tell what fit where. Puzzles were dumb and Dean, for once in his life, agreed with him. Given the choice they used to go for the board games, especially ones with pieces you could make up stories for. Sam would never forget their month-long game of MonopoLifeChess, when they stayed at that shelter with dozens of board games in the rec room and none of them boasting a full complement of accessories. Sam and his gang (led by a white knight and a car full of pink people because Dean got to pick first and declared that he was blue) had set up shop on Park Place and dominated the neighborhood until Dean’s queen and Sam’s bishop had an illicit affair that undermined the social order and chaos had reigned for an entire week before Dad showed up and it was time to move on again.

“Wow,” Dean laughed, mouthing at Sam’s shoulder, his fingers clumsy along Sam’s thigh and his words thick with sleep. “You have a crazy brain, bro. Hope it’s not catching ‘cause I like mine extra not crazy. Put the tape on again ‘kay ‘cause I can’t reach. Burn it, s’no good, build it up new.”

Sam left Dean to his dreams, and drifted off himself, thinking about a silver dog in a silver top hat frolicking alongside a plastic car.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers!
> 
> We wanted to let you know that both of us are taking part in LJ's [FandomAid charity campaign for Nepal](http://fandomaid.livejournal.com/). The country's been struck by a series of earthquakes of high magnitude, leaving behind devastation and thousands of casualties. The campaign is a Buy-It-Now one at this stage, first come, first serve. You can buy a fic from one of us, or we would both be more than happy to write something special for the College AU, just mention it in the comment when you make your claim. Click below for our offers:
> 
>  
> 
> [stardust_made](http://fandomaid.livejournal.com/71810.html?view=2018690#t2018690)  
> [canon_is_relative](http://fandomaid.livejournal.com/71810.html?thread=2024834#t2024834)
> 
>  
> 
> From stardust_made: I always give something extra special whenever it's a charity event, not shying away from much, going out of my comfort zone if I have to, and working with passion to make it happen quickly. I'm sure this time won't be any different. Thank you for reading.♥

_March 1st, 2009, Madison, WI_

 

[Sam]  
Did you really superglue Mikey's hand to a wrench?

[Dean]  
Dude, how do you even know about that?

And the answer is no!

[Sam]  
I'm Batman.

[Dean]  
It's been ten years and that joke's still funny

[Sam]  
Well apparently someone did...also I left the papers with your boss, you need to sign them and drop them at the bank, okay? 

That sounds so domestic I feel kind of dizzy.

[Dean]  
So that's how you're getting the scoop, you innocent young man, you!

Yeah, it's too much for me to do in one day

[Sam]  
Well it needs to happen like now if we're going to get the application in on time. You can't run by the bank on your way home? 

[Dean]  
So much nagging and stress

[Sam]  
Do you want the damn house or don't you?

[Dean]  
We need a hunt

[Sam]  
Cause if you don't you'd better say so right now. And if you do I'll let work know I'm going to be late and I'll come back and get the papers from you and do it myself.

[Dean]  
Hey! You don't talk about the house like that!

[Sam]  
Yes. We really do. But we don't have time right now, Dean, I'm sorry.

[Dean]  
I never said I wasn't going to do it, did I?

[Sam]  
I'm sorry, I'm just trying to get it all together and not forget anything. Just give it a week and we can relax, okay, Dean? Promise. I'll find us a hunt and we can take off for awhile.

[Dean]  
Such a drama queen, thank god I’m keeping it cool

[Sam]  
Oh yeah, you're Mr. Cool.

I wish you'd been there when I stopped by, I was totally gonna steal a kiss.

[Dean]  
Ok, I'm gonna take care of the papers

[Sam]  
Okay.

[Dean]  
I'm definitely going to need more than a kiss later after all the work I'll have done, with the signing and the going to the bank...

[Sam]  
So....should I be on the lookout for itching powder in my shorts? Or are you keeping the pranks at work?

Please tell me Rashid is working tonight.

[Dean]  
I still think we should have taken all of that dragon gold

It wasn't me!

But you're going to get something in your shorts ;)

[Sam]  
Oh, were you actually being serious? Your coworkers all think it was you, they think that's why you took off for lunch instead of eating at the garage.

[Dean]  
Gossipy princess

Rashid's on call but when I talked to him this morning he said he didn't think he'd get called in

[Sam]  
That sucks, it's been like weeks since we had the house to ourselves, I'm going crazy :(

Whatever, it was totally you, wasn't it? 

I'm gonna call Bobby, ask him to keep his ears open for us, scare up something nearby maybe. 

[Dean]  
We'll figure something out. You still have tonight off, right?

[Sam]  
Yeah, gotta cover the end of the lunch shift and should be off by 6 at the latest. 

[Dean]  
You do that, Sammy. But not today.

[Sam]  
Hey I heard there's a drive-in movie place outside of town. If Rashid's home tonight we should go. We could park way in the back and make out in the car. 

[Dean]  
How about you go home and shower and I'll come over around 7?

Maybe we can do that or maybe not

[Sam]  
Last time we did anything in my room Kate and Jasmine heard us. 

[Dean]  
Then we won't stay over at yours

[Sam]  
Why don't you like my drive-in movie plan? You love drive-in movies. And groping in the car. 

[Dean]  
Oh my god, maybe I've got other plans for us, ok!

[Sam]  
Oh. Okay. 

Sorry! I'll forget you said anything. 

You've got a surprise for me? 

Is it my birthday or something? :)

[Dean]  
Getting a little ahead of yourself there, Sammy?

So Kate and Jasmine heard us, that’s awesome, maybe they're going to let us watch them then! Fair trade or something

[Sam]  
Oh god, yeah that's totally what I had planned for tonight, watching Kate and Jasmine, you caught me! No, dude, I played it off. I think. They thought it was the TV. Apparently it's weird but not unbelievable for brothers to watch porn together? I don't know. I just can't wait to get out of this house. 

[Dean]  
Prude. And I told you we should just say we were lying we were brothers all along and that we're totally gay 

They'd buy it, they're probably thinking it anyway

[Sam]  
After knowing us for a year, you think they would? Why would anyone keep that act up for a whole year? 

But I know they were thinking it when you showed up :) 

Too bad we didn't plan our gay incestuous love affair ahead of time, huh?

[Dean]  
I don't know, dude. Cuz people do that?

[Sam]  
Do they? 

[Dean]  
I mean just look at all the secrets we're keeping apart from this

[Sam]  
Well, I don't know, maybe we should. I mean if we're going to stay friends with them, it would be nice not to hide. Well, not to hide everything. 

Yeah, you have a point. Jesus though Kate's gonna be pissed. 

[Dean]  
There you go, told you it'd make it easy

We'll make out in front of her, she'll forgive us

[Sam]  
You have a serious voyeurism kink, dude. 

Not that that's a problem.

[Dean]  
Or you'll give her the puppy dog thing

Nah, don't want just anyone watching us

[Sam]  
Who do want to watch us? Angelina Jolie?

[Dean]  
Honestly? Don't know about her, man, she creeps me out a little

Natalie Portman!

But we really should do it. Sucks that we'll be lying to them but we're kinda doing it now anyway

[Sam]  
Natalie Portman is totally hot. 

[Dean]  
We'll tell them you were repressed. But my gay love saved you or some sob story like that. You look like a repressed young man, everyone's gonna buy it. They'll probably cry

So you should tell them while I'm not there

[Sam]  
Yeah you're right. And we're way past "kind of" lying to them. I hate it, I hate avoiding them because I have to watch every word I say. 

[Dean]  
Yeah she is hot! And being in Star Wars was just a bonus. Dude, you should have been in SW

Alright then, moving in together will give us an opening

[Sam]  
1) Why do I have to be repressed? Remember what I said that one time? It still stands, you're totally the overcompensating butch one. 2) Who would I have been in SW? 

[Dean]  
1) Dude, you gotta be repressed, why else did you hide you were gay for so long? Kate saw a freaking gay porn star pick me up the first night she met me, I'm like the opposite of repressed!

2) All princesses in SW are hot, that’s why

[Sam]  
1) Yeah I suppose you're right, she had to deal with me freaking out when I found out she'd seen me go out back with Carter's friend at the club. I guess it fits. Just, that sucks. She's gonna hate me. 

2) You just want me to pull a Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta and cut all my hair off.

[Dean]  
What's that about Carter's friend?

[Sam]  
Yeah, I should have told you about that awhile go.

After we fought that one time, before you got here, I was out with Kate and Carter and ended up making out with a guy, Carter’s friend, behind the club. It didn't go anywhere, but they thought it was funny. 

And when they figured out I really didn't think it was funny, I can only imagine what they thought. 

Then you show up and the first you do is get friendly with a gay porn star. 

God, that's so ridiculous. I can't believe none of them have called us on that yet.

Sorry to just spring it on you like this.

Though I'm not sure it really compares to me finding out about your Jake Base encounter, you know :)

[Dean]  
Yeah ok

I still don't like it

Or that dude

[Sam]  
It was five minutes of kissing a year ago. And it's never going to happen again. And the reason it was only five minutes is because I really wanted to be kissing you.

[Dean]  
Ok Sammy

All the way back then? You thought that?

[Sam]  
Yeah. Earlier, really. But that was when I couldn't pretend it wasn't happening anymore.

You too, even back then?

[Dean]  
I don't know. It's like it was there from the moment you left, maybe even before that, long before

Don't know, Sammy. All I know is when we started texting it was already hard to bury my head in the sand

[Sam]  
I just remember we'd be texting and it felt like we were saying all these crazy things, like we were talking on five different levels all at once, and then the next day I'd read what we'd said and feel stupid for thinking what I was thinking. I felt crazy a lot of the time.

[Dean]  
Damn, I can't stop thinking about you worked up and miserable back then, in some back alley and some dude kissing you. It should have been me

[Sam]  
I know. I hated it, I felt like such an idiot. I just wanted you so bad and I couldn't have you, so I thought maybe I could have something else, maybe I could convince myself that was what I wanted. It wasn't, not by a long shot.

[Dean]  
I'm sorry, for back then. Don't want you to ever be alone and miserable and drunk in some dingy alley, and I don't want any other guy near you, touching you when you're like that, and I seriously don’t wanna be the reason for it

Man, I’m so happy about tonight, good timing

[Sam]  
Can’t wait to find out what you’ve got planned.

[Dean]  
I'm gonna tell you about it now, don’t want you to be disappointed after I drummed it up. Remember when I had to drive a guy's car out after I worked on it, I had to take two freaking busses to get back. Bed and breakfast, 40-minute drive from yours. It’s a secluded spot, the house is real nice and there's even a hot tub out back. So I got it until tomorrow at 12, that's all

[Sam]  
Dude, really? That's awesome! 

Oh man, that's perfect. 

Thank you.

Can we veto all house talk while we're there? At least like the technical stuff. If you wanna start planning the awesome renovations you're gonna do, that's fine.

[Dean]  
You got it! That was kinda the point, you know cuz you've been doing all that stuff and I'm not blind, I know it's a lot

We can just chill, you know. Don't want you thinking you gotta do anything. Even if you came nowhere near my dick I'd still want to do stuff to take care of you. Make you happy, that's how I'm wired Sammy

Man, I feel like I should lie down and start paying you by the hour

[Sam]  
Dude, I miss you. And I saw you this morning.

[Dean]  
This sap stuff is contagious, I swear! Can't wait to pick you up tonight

[Sam]  
You always know just what I need, better than I do. My head's all over the place, first with getting everything together for the house and now all this stuff we were talking about, telling people about us. My brain is fried, man. I just want to chill out with you and not worry about anything.

[Dean]  
Sounds good to me. Any space in your plans for being on your back, naked? Been thinking how I want to look at you, baby boy

[Sam]  
I know what I want you to do tonight.

[Dean]  
You do?

[Sam]  
I want you to pick up a handle of that expensive bourbon you like. I want to go in that hot tub and when you want a drink, you don't get to use your hands, you gotta convince me to give you one and I'll pour it in your mouth myself. 

I wanna kiss you when you're all sweet and loose and boozy.

I love how you get with a few drinks in you, the way you talk to me when we're completely alone.

[Dean]  
Sammy, why you thought you needed a college degree I'll never know, you got all kinds of smarts in you

It's all true, what I say. It's just it's easier when we're alone or when there's a drink or two in me

Or when we're in bed or like this, texting

But I think it all the time, you gotta know that

[Sam]  
I love it, no matter where we are. 

[Dean]  
I'm going to get very drunk tonight, I can think of a hundred ways to get you to pour that bourbon in my mouth. Actually, half of those ways involve my mouth

Do you want me boozy cuz I'd let you do anything to me then? Just FYI, I got no objections anymore to anything you wanna try, like zero

[Sam]  
God, your mouth. 

Really? Anything?

[Dean]  
Anything. 

Why, you're having more good ideas?

I'm going to eat you up so good, Sam

Let you do whatever you want to me

[Sam]  
God, Dean.

I think my brain is melting just thinking about it.

[Dean]  
That's ok, you still got your looks

[Sam]  
Thank god for those.

You're my favorite brother. 

[Dean]  
How many other brothers you got stashed up somewhere?

[Sam]  
If I had a hundred, you'd still be my favorite. 

[Dean]  
Oh, I can see why you're passing all your tests with flying colors, college boy!

[Sam]  
And there's an awkward thought. Can you imagine if we had other siblings?

[Dean]  
I spoke too quickly

[Sam]  
Because I am incredibly smart as well as amazingly attractive?

[Dean]  
Because you know how to give A+ answers. Your questions need some work though!

[Sam]  
What, the siblings thing? That's really weird to think about, right?

What if you liked one of them better than me? I'm getting hypothetically jealous over it. 

[Dean]  
Dude, we're going away to some pretty cool digs and there's even going to be a hot tub. I'll get you so hot for me you'll be begging. Do you have to let your freaky head run wild, seriously?

[Sam]  
Sorry. 

[Dean]  
It's alright. Good thing you're MY favorite brother

[Sam]  
Damn straight I am!

[Dean]  
Not for me, you're not ;)

See what I did there? THAT was awesome, I rock!

[Sam]  
No, you're right. For you I am truly, madly, deeply, throbbingly gay. 

:P

Whatever, I set you up for it. 

[Dean]  
Throbbingly?

[Sam]  
Oh, yeah. 

[Dean]  
Throbbingly. Dude. How about we don't talk at all when we get to the house?

[Sam]  
You said anything, you mean it? Anything?

[Dean]  
Yeah. Anything. 

[Sam]  
Awesome. 

Okay, I gotta get to work, don’t forget to take the forms to the bank, okay?

[Dean]  
Ok. I see how it is, you get a promise out of me then it’s hasta la vista baby, I get it. 

[Sam]  
:) See you soon, Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoyed, and if you're able we hope you'll consider buying a fic for the Nepal benefit! Here are the links again:
> 
> [stardust_made](http://fandomaid.livejournal.com/71810.html?view=2018690#t2018690), [canon_is_relative](http://fandomaid.livejournal.com/71810.html?thread=2024834#t2024834).


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy happy birthday, dear Sammy ♥ If anyone deserves some lovin', it's you!

_March, 2009_

 

Last week, Sam had been hunched over his desk, hands fisted in his hair, staring at the mess of papers in front of him when Dean came up to his room.

 

Something in the set of Sam’s shoulders must have tripped Dean’s freaky sixth sense about him because he shut the door quietly, locked it and came to stand beside him; not touching, not teasing, and not fighting back as Sam started in bitching about all the stuff they had to do before they could make the offer on the house. How impossible it was all going to be because ‘Oh remember how we’re both criminals’ and ‘Oh yeah that thing about how you’re supposed to be dead’ and ‘By the way thanks for leaving it all to the last minute, Dean,’ and waving the application in his face until Dean took it away from him and cupped Sam’s face between his palms, bending down to kiss his forehead. Sam had quieted under his touch, wrapped his hands around Dean’s wrists and let Dean breathe softly against his skin, his calloused hands gentle on Sam’s face. 

 

When he let Sam go, Dean had stepped away without looking at him. Picked up the stack of papers and said, “Okay tell me where you want my John Hancock,” glancing back with a smirk to make sure Sam heard him. 

 

“Yeah, Han _cock_ , that never gets old, Dean, very funny.”  Sam had smiled at Dean and let him kiss him again, let his brother lay him out on the bed and spend half an hour making him feel so good he came out the other side with wicked deep bite marks in the meat of his hand. Only to find out later he needn’t have bothered trying to keep quiet; Kate had heard him anyway. Whatever relief he’d felt at having Dean’s hands on him had vanished in a panicked heartbeat and every day since then had just wound him up tighter until he was ready to scream.

 

Until this morning, when he was ready to pitch a fit to Dean about the paperwork, again, and Dean texted back to say he was taking the papers to the bank and then taking him away for the night. And like he had when Dean kissed his forehead, pulled him close and held him tight, Sam felt the fight go out of him, irritation and frustration and exhaustion becoming manageable things he could gather up and stash in the back of his mind to deal with later, leaving plenty of room for delight and anticipation and that greedy, swooping feeling of _Dean loves me best_ that was better than anything. When Dean picked him up that night he grabbed him, right out there on the street with only darkness to hide in, crushed Sam against him and told him to shut up when Sam grumbled, “Ow, dude!” into his mouth. Dean finally pulled back and punched his shoulder, grinning. “Ready, princess?”He only grinned wider when Sam grumbled something about hating him, and laughed at Sam calling him a control freak when Dean wouldn't let him drive. Sam himself could not stop smiling.

\---

The house was perfect, a little B&B setup out in the country where they were the only guests on a winter evening in the middle of the week. As promised there was a hot tub outside the back door, the secluded patio sheltered by a tall fence covered in last year’s brown and brittle ivy. Their room was cozy and the bed was immense, soft as a cloud with an elaborately carved wooden headboard that matched the mantel over the fireplace. Sam was surprised but ultimately relieved not to see a bearskin rug in front of the fire because Dean definitely would have wanted to try it out and Sam really didn’t find the idea of getting naked anywhere in the vicinity of an old dead animal at all appealing. Plus, sweat and fur and other bodily fluids and _fur_. Gross. 

 

He let out a sudden bark of a laugh when he realized how far afield his mind had gone, and when Dean turned to him with a look like he’d gone nuts Sam just tackled him onto the  _oh my god amazing_  bed and kissed him until they were both breathless and panting. He broke away from Dean and whumped down on his back, tucking one hand under his head and letting the other rest peacefully on his chest to enjoy its slightly unsteady rise and fall with each breath. He hadn’t realized,  _again_ , how he’d barely been breathing for days, getting himself so worked up over everything and nothing that Dean had probably just cashed in their down payment to give him this night away from reality that Sam hadn’t even known he needed. Dean poked him in the ribs and called him a tease and Sam beamed at him and said, “Race you to the hot tub.” Тhey shed their clothes like they were on fire and sprinted out back without bothering with swim trunks.

 

They kicked back in the hot water, looking up at the stars and hoping it’d snow because, as Dean put it, “How cool is this, Sammy!We’re naked outside and if it snows, who gives a crap cuz we’re in a hot tub, bitches! Living the apple pie life.” It didn’t, though, and after the second time they got overheated and went streaking through the dark field behind the house to cool down before jumping back in, Dean remembered the bottle of single-barrel Kentucky bourbon and his eyes went dark as Sam pulled it out, taking a long drink before kissing Dean, letting his brother lick the taste of it out of his mouth, and asking what Dean would give him if Sam fed him a shot.

 

After two hard-earned drinks, Dean let Sam pull him back against his chest and wrap his legs around his hips, slick skin sliding as Sam held them together in the water. Another and Dean was leaning his head back against Sam’s shoulder, dopey grin in place and running both his mouth and his hands unconsciously. When he noticed the hitch in Sam’s breath he cut himself off mid-sentence, then wormed his way around to face Sam, sinking lower into the water and palming Sam’s dick. “What do you say, Sammy, another drink for your awesome big brother?” Sam groaned and let his knees sprawl wider.

 

“What do you want to do to me, Sammy?” Dean’s eyes were shining brighter than the stars, and Sam told him.

 

The truth was, Sam had kind of been waiting to ask for this until they had their own place. Maybe it was stupid, but when it hadn’t happened right away, and when they started talking about moving in together, Sam had fixed those two things together in his mind.  _When we have a place,_ he’d told himself, _when we have a place, when we’re completely alone and we’re somewhere safe, somewhere ours, then maybe I’ll ask if I can fuck him._

 

Still wet and steaming from the hot tub Sam laid Dean down on the bed, ran his hands all over him then sat back on his heels, stroking himself slowly and just looking at Dean, pale skin tinged pink and dusted with freckles that were playing his song, begging him to map and catalogue every one of them with his fingers and tongue. Dean pushed himself up on his elbows and Sam watched his cock twitch against his thigh, a flush high in Dean’s cheeks that Sam hoped wasn’t only due to the hot water.

 

He lay a hand just above Dean’s knee, stroked the inside of his thigh with his thumb. “This okay?”

 

Dean nodded, licked his lips, nodded again.

 

Sam hadn’t had the most adventurous sex life ever, before this. He could count his sexual partners on one hand in fact, and with all of them, even at their best he’d taken most of his own pleasure from what he’d been able to give. In hindsight the similarities between them were startlingly obvious; Jess, Madison, Ari, none of them shy about asking for what they wanted. Jess, especially, had been luxuriant, reveling in Sam’s attention, and Sam had sometimes thought he could get off on that alone. After a lifetime of feeling inadequate she’d made him feel like a god, and he’d all but worshipped her for it.

 

As good as it had been – and it had been good, all of it – what he felt when he was with Dean was exponentially different.

 

Jangling like his whole body was one big bundle of nerves, Sam nodded too and bent to kiss the spot he’d been caressing. Moved up, pressed his nose to the crease of Dean’s hip, felt Dean’s cock radiating heat against his cheek, turned his face to kiss it, looked up to grin at the exasperated grunt that earned him.

 

“You gonna take my dick to prom or you gonna fuck me?” Dean grumbled, reaching for him, and Sam felt the look on Dean’s face like a kick to the chest: open, raw, a little giddy, nervous as hell. But ready, so ready to give this to Sam, add another entry to their life-long list. Sam crawled up Dean’s body, hands going everywhere, wrapping himself around Dean and rolling so that his brother was on top of him, kissing him like Dean’s lips were bread and wine and oxygen. Dean had said yes, they were going to do this, and with that in mind Sam was in no hurry at all.

 

\---

 

Kneeling on the floor with one of Dean’s leg hitched over his shoulder, his own thighs trembling with exertion, Sam looked up through his bangs to check on Dean, saw his head thrown back and one arm across his eyes, mouth slack and breathing hard. Sam licked back up Dean’s cock and sucked him down again as he slid his finger out of Dean, Dean’s answering groan covering the sound of Sam popping the cap on the lube. He squeezed more onto his hand, left it there to warm up a little before trying to add a second finger.

 

Dean had been so good with him, first time they did this the other way around. Patient, shockingly gentle and focused, listening to Sam, following his instructions, granting all requests without hesitation until they’d made it work and Dean slid home, Sam on his back with his knees bent to his chest. Sam had said, “Huh,” which made Dean look like he wanted to smack him, but as he shifted his weight Sam’s eyes had flown wide open, hands scrabbling for purchase against Dean as he let out a half-gasp of surprised pleasure that prompted Dean to get with the program, rolling his hips and watching Sam’s face.

 

Sam wanted, was desperate, to make this as good for Dean as it had been for him. He felt this molten weight low in his belly, so turned on he could barely think past it, looking down at his brother spread out and panting on the bed, turning his body entirely over to Sam and Sam could not catch his breath, pressed his forehead to Dean’s thigh as terror and lust shudder-shocked through his system and he thought, _I can’t_. He thought, _This is too much._

“Sammy,” Dean said, bearing down on Sam’s fingers, and Sam could feel the way he was trembling, the effort it was taking to hold himself together. So he looked up at Dean and thought instead, _I can._ Thought, _He trusts me._ That trust blew the lid off his own fear and he worked a third finger in, slowly stretching Dean, going as slow as he could bear and kissing Dean everywhere he could reach from this awesome but admittedly awkward angle, letting his free hand roam, palming over Dean’s nipples and shuddering when Dean moaned, anticipation of pleasure like a feedback loop between them.

 

Dean looked obscene like this, hectic flush overlaying skin that smelled of salt and bourbon, eyes bright and open with his pupils blown so wide the green was almost lost. The only thing between them a little bit of air heavy with arousal and when Dean finally let out his breath in a rush and relaxed around Sam’s fingers, he opened his mouth against Dean’s thigh, sucked lightly, and pulled out, climbed up the bed to kiss Dean and then settle back between his legs, nudging his knees up and trying to figure out how the hell it worked from this angle. Caught up in keeping his own shakes under control enough to line himself up, fumbling for more lube, he almost missed the sound that came out of Dean when he started to press against him, into him; a choked sound that might have been Sam’s name but what it meant was _stop._

 

“Dean,” he asked, pulling away, cold where they weren’t touching anymore. “Dean?”

 

“S’okay,” Dean was shaking, his eyes closed again, reaching blindly for Sam. “It’s okay, Sammy.”

 

“I. I can…” Sam lay his hand over his brother’s heart, counting beats, Dean’s amulet skin-warm and solid-sharp beneath his palm. “We don’t—“

 

“No,” Dean shook his head, left his face turned to the side, pressing his cheek into the pillow. “No, we’re good. I want…want you to.”

 

Sam ran his hands up Dean’s thighs, ducking down to suck the head of his dick into his mouth, stroking him slow and steady until he was half hard again, until Dean rolled his head against the pillow and opened his eyes, huffed something almost like a laugh and told Sam just what he thought about his little brother treating him like he was some precious flower. Adding under his breath, “Weird fuckin’ day when a man ain’t even in control of his own ass.”

 

Sam set his jawand hung his head between his shoulders, breathing hard through his nose until Dean hooked his leg around the back of Sam’s, used the leverage to pull Sam tight against him. Sam moaned, couldn’t hold it in, rocking himself against Dean until he said, “Come on, Sammy. Let’s get to the good stuff.”

 

With his forehead pressed to his brother’s heaving chest, his eyes screwed tight shut, his world was compressed like a black hole. He was – they were – an eternity condensed into this single point. The whole damn universe was nothing more than an extended metaphor for _meanddean…_  and Sam lost himself

 

“Sammy,” Dean’s voice was a bright light in the darkness, calling him home. The sharp line of pain at his temple materialized into a hand in his hair with another quick, demanding tug. Sam was gasping, letting himself be pulled, brought back. Opening his eyes he saw Dean gazing up at him, awe and love writ so plain across his face it felt like a blow that shook Sam down to his foundation. Dean’s hand slid free from Sam’s hair to rest on his cheek, dragged down his neck to press against Sam’s heart. A small flutter of a smile crossed Dean’s face and his voice was wrecked as he murmured, “Damn, little brother.”

 

Sam choked, felt like he was trying to breathe in saltwater, his whole body rocking like he was caught in a wave that was pulling him under. Dean’s fingers dug into his arms, nails biting deep, dragging him down ’til Dean’s face was buried in Sam’s neck, lips and teeth and loud moans urging Sam on.  _Love you, Sammy, c’mon, don’t stop, Sammy, Sam…._

 

_\--_

Weak sunlight began to sneak through the window and Sam reached out to twitch the curtain aside. It was snowing.

"The hell are you doing up." Dean grumbled, rustling the sheets behind him, voice a low rasp in the quiet room.

 

Sam looked over his shoulder and gave him a small grin before going back to his computer. "I just got off the phone with Bobby. Before you say anything, he only called me because he figured I was more likely to be awake than you and he didn’t feel like leaving you a voicemail."

 

Dean pushed himself up on his elbows, looking around the room, disoriented, and Sam turned in his chair to watch him, waiting while Dean reacquainted himself with their surroundings. Watched him play back the end of the night. The moment when Dean's face relaxed and he gave a loose, sleepy smile set off little explosions in Sam's stomach until Dean looked at him and he fixed a  _Who, me?_ expression on his face. Dean’s walls came back up as he rolled his eyes and heaved himself out of bed, snagging his boxers off the floor and straightening with a barely suppressed groan, making for the bathroom on unsteady legs.

 

Sam chewed on his bottom lip while worry gnawed at his gut. He’d tried so hard to be careful. But what if he’d missed some cue from Dean, what if this had been asking too much of him, what if…

 

Sam hunched over his laptop and was focused intently on his research when Dean emerged, smelling like toothpaste and generic soap with his hair damp around the temples and looking slightly more alert.

 

"So, Bobby. He called? What's up?" Dean tossed his towel onto the bed.

 

Sam beckoned to him, watching as covertly as he could as Dean ambled over, waiting to say anything until Dean was standing behind him, pressed up against his back with one hand on Sam’s shoulder. Sam aimed a small smile up at Dean then nodded at the laptop, screen open on a news site. "So, apparently, there've been these deaths in Big Ten college towns. Like, more mysterious than white collar kids drinking themselves to death, you know? But that's how the media's spinning it. And, get this, from what Bobby gave me, I've put together a definite pattern."

 

"Let me guess," Dean said, twisting his fingers through Sam's hair. “We're next."

 

"Looks like."

 

“Hunting in Madison. Huh. That’s…how we feeling about that?” Dean asked, tugging on Sam’s ear.

 

Sam leaned back to look up at him, shrugged. "Going Boondock Saints on our new hometown? Thought you’d be all over it."

 

Dean frowned down at him for just a moment before his face lit in a grin and he rapped his knuckles against Sam's chest. "You know what this means, Sammy? It means we gotta get awesome tattoos."

 

Sam rolled his eyes, knocking Dean’s hand away then grabbing him when he tried to do it again, holding Dean’s hand against his chest and feeling his heart speed up as the breath seemed to be knocked out of Dean all at once. Sam felt his stupid fears battling with his crazy desires for pride of place as he watched Dean. He had his mouth open without knowing what was about to come out of it when his phone buzzed and they both jumped.

 

Sam grimaced but said, "Probably Bobby. Gotta answer, he'll wonder why if I don't, since we just--"

 

Dean reached out and clicked the buttons, then set the phone on the window sill, pulling up the second chair for himself. "You're on speaker, Bobby, what's up?"

 

Sam pressed his fingers to his temple and focused on not smacking his brother. He'd told Bobby he was home alone not ten minutes ago and the sun was barely up.  _Christ._

 

When they finally hung up, Sam looked down at his laptop, tabbing between windows to follow up on what he'd plugged into the search engine on Bobby's instructions, rifling through his page of hand written notes. After a minute he sat back. "Well I guess that sells it."

 

"You’re sure?" Dean asked, hitching his chin over Sam's shoulder to read the text.

 

"Bobby sounded pretty sure. Hey, wait...." Sam shrugged Dean off and went back to his laptop, typing for a few minutes before muttering  _Bingo_ under his breath. "Hey, Dean, check this out. It  _definitely_  corresponds with those dates, but look here, Ohio State and Wisconsin, 1999, _May_ , not March."

 

"So, you're saying this isn't urgent."

 

Sam smiled. "Definitely not."

 

"So you're saying we can go back to bed and watch that Batman marathon 'til I gotta take your geeky ass back to school."

 

Sam rolled his eyes. "I swear to god, if you call me Robin, we are so over," he said, but he closed his computer and let his brother pull him back to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

_May, 2009_

 

[Dean]  
Hey sorry about this morning

It was cuz of the hammer

And Mrs. Lawson with her invitations

And self invitations!

We can go look for plates if you want.

[Sam]  
It's fine. 

[Dean]  
Just promise not to pick em with flowers and swans on them

That was a joke

Didn’t mean to start that again, sorry!

Sorry Sammy

[Sam]  
I just said it’s fine, didn't I?

[Dean]  
I still think we should check her out for witchcraft. Like, she set my teeth on edge dude, that's not only cuz I got "issues"

[Sam]  
Look, let's just chill out about all this. 

We don't have to get everything done right away, you know?

And I really, really don't want to fight with you about what kind of plates we should get. 

[Dean]  
Alright, if you're gonna act like you're fifty and all cool about it and I'm some freaking hothead, forget about it

You're still pissed. Or upset or whatever

[Sam]  
Dean, I don't think our very nice, friendly, maybe a little bit nosy neighbor is a witch. 

[Dean]  
It wasn't about the plates, dude, how do you not get that??

[Sam]  
I know it wasn't about the plates. 

[Dean]  
Then why are you acting like a cold shower

A jerky cold shower

[Sam]  
I'm just saying if we're going to be arguing I’d rather do it about whatever the hell the real issue is and not freaking china patterns, okay?

[Dean]  
Well we were talking about them!

[Sam]  
Oh my god, enough with the plates! And everything else. Look, Dean, I'm tired and I'm behind and I just, I'm sorry. I know I overreacted. 

[Dean]  
When she left I was all twitchy and my skin was itching, don't tell me that shouldn't be checked out!

[After three minutes.]  
Sorry

[After ten minutes.]  
You want me to pick up something for you later on my way back? Like are you jonesing for something?

[Sam, twenty minutes later.]  
No, I'm fine. Hey, Dean, say we do check her out and she ends up not being a witch. What then? I mean, are you gonna try to figure out why she sets you on edge?

Or keep avoiding her and bluster through it and keep on blaming something supernatural?

[Dean]  
Screw you Sam

I thought you said you were behind, how about you catch up and get off my back!

[Sam]  
Why can't you just talk to me?

I mean, this morning, you were really freaked out. 

You had me freaked out until you started biting my head off. 

[Dean]  
Cuz I was talking to you, jackass and then you were all oh I'm so tired of this Dean and I've got important things to do and then turns out you aren’t too tired to be snarky and judgy

How did I have you freaked out??

[Sam]  
I didn't realize we were actually talking I thought you were just being pissy about having nosy neighbors and the thing with the hammer. 

And now I’m home on a break before another class so talk to me, what's going on?

[Dean]  
So what I can't talk to you AND be pissy about freaking neighbors and the hammer?

I think I'mma have to lay off any work with my left hand for like three days

[Sam]  
Oh my god can you stop trying to pick a fight for five minutes?

[Dean]  
That's just awesome it’s not like I use my hands at my job or anything!

[Sam]  
Wait, seriously? It's that bad?

[Dean]  
Or need them to work on a new house!

This blows man :(

[Sam]  
Dean, I didn't realize, I'm sorry. 

[Dean]  
Yeah.:( I don't wanna go see a doctor but maybe I should. Fuck

[Sam]  
Jesus. Yeah, if YOU think you should then you probably really should. 

Okay, you should probably just go to urgent care, you can get in right away and I think your copay is only like $200, right? 

[Dean]  
My head feels like it's being squashed under a press or something. And now I'm worried about work cuz I just took those five days off and if I have to stay away for another week or I don't know, what if I lose my job

[Sam]  
Dammit, I can't fucking find anything in this mess. I know I saw all the insurance paperwork when we were moving but I can't find the box now. 

[Dean]  
Now I'm freaking out about freaking out that I might lose my job, fuck

Who the fuck cares!

We've got bills and that loan, I can't lose my job, fuck

[Sam]  
You won't. 

[Dean]  
I moved all the boxes with the papers to the bedroom so they wouldn’t get ruined. Under the bed

It's my freaking little finger dude, is this some kind of a joke? Like am I an elf or something? I can text and do other shit but no, I can't hold any tools!!

[Sam]  
You won't lose your job, Dean! Stop freaking out. Look, go talk to your boss and tell him what's up and that you have to get your hand looked at. They won't fire you, Dean, they like you. You just gotta get it taken care of. 

Yeah, dude. You're an elf :)

Does it hurt all the time or just when you try to use it?

[Dean]  
Dick. You’re an elf, you have an elvish face, with the eyes and the cheekbones

Elvine?

Elverine?

I'm on my way to the hospital

[Fifteen minutes later.]  
Waiting for someone to see me

[Sam]  
I'm sorry Dean. I'm an ass. I didn't know.

[Dean]  
It doesn't matter Sammy, it was like the freaking cherry on the top. Like I don't even know man, it's all a mess

[Sam]  
Which hospital did you go to?

[Dean]  
Like the house. I never thought I'd hate living in a mess but I guess I'm turning into a freaking housewife!

The one on the moon! Which one do you think?

[Sam]  
What's a mess, Dean? Was it something I did?

I just mean I hope you went to one in your covered network, that's all. Do you want me to come wait with you?

[Dean]  
The house is a mess! I'm a freaking mess

[Sam]  
You're not a mess. 

Why do you think you're a mess?

[Dean]  
I don't even know what those are! I went to the one where you said I should go if I had an emergency at work

See, that's what I'm talking about, I don't know how to do this, Sam!

[Sam]  
It's okay. 

I figured it out, so will you. I'll help you. 

I want this to work so badly. 

[Dean]  
It's a lot and it's boring as fuck, I'll never remember it all

What’s a copay?

[Sam]  
But I feel like I’m just making it worse. 

It's how much of the bill you owe up front before the insurance covers the rest.

[Dean]  
I want it to work too why do you think I'm freaking out??

[Sam]  
I'm sorry, Dean. I'm really sorry. 

[Dean]  
Are they gonna give it back to me or I need to cough up 200 and never see it again? Cuz that sucks!

Sammy you got nothing to be sorry for, you hear me?

[Sam]  
You'll see it again when they fix your hand and you can go back to work.

[Dean]  
I just want this freaking day to be over so I can come home

Ok that sounds good

[Sam]  
Yeah, I'm really not making a good case for normal life, am I? 

[Dean]  
You are, dude, what are you talking about? You know about copay and how to talk to nosy neighbors!

That still might be witches!!

And your clothes are all like in these piles that make sense

[Sam]  
Look I'm gonna cut class and come meet you at the hospital, okay? Because this sucks. 

I'm not going to sit on my ass like a douchebag while you're in the hospital even if it isn't something life threatening. 

[Dean]  
Don't cut class! I'm not gonna have my little brother hold my freaking boo boo hand at the hospital!

Go home after class, I'm serious, don't come in here!

I need you to stay in your class Sam, ok? One of us has to do this right and right now it ain't gonna be me

[Sam]  
You mean my clothes are folded on the shelves of our giant closet? Whoa, I'm really dreaming big, you caught me. 

Dean, come on. 

[Dean]  
Don't mock the invalid, man, shame on you! Smart ass

I'm gonna drive straight back after I finish here and god knows how long I'm gonna have to wait here so you might be there before me

[Sam]  
Okay, yeah. I'll go to class. Sorry. 

[Dean]  
Ok, good

[Sam]  
As long as you know it's under protest. 

Both at not being with you and how you think you can still order me around. 

[Dean]  
I'm not ordering you around, I'm looking after you

Although I totally can if I want to

[Sam]  
No you can't. 

[Dean]  
We'll see

[Sam]  
Dude, no. 

[Dean]  
B-]

[Sam]  
Dork :-)

[Dean]  
Wrong, look in the mirror

I'll see you back at home later ok?

[Sam]  
Okay Dean.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes our Domestic Househunters set - two more special features left and we're calling it a day!
> 
> The following exchange is quite fluffy, just putting this out there as a warning of sorts. We have a lot more stuff in our folders that was done without any agenda of posting, really - just something for the two of us, the authors. Only after we concluded the story we felt more certain which narrative extracts/exchanges were closer to the characters the way we'd established them and could be therefore of interest to those who'd enjoyed 'Catch Me'. But let us stress again that these _are_ materials from the cutting room floor and as such shouldn't be judged by the same standard by which our main story can be held against scrutiny. 
> 
> Enjoy boys in love!♥

_July, 2009_

[Sam]  
Hey how do you feel about greyhounds?

The dogs, not the buses. I am very aware of your feelings about the Greyhound bus line. 

 

[Dean]  
Then you're also aware of my feelings about the dogs, same as the buses

Why do you ask?

 

[Sam]  
I don't know, I think they're really cool actually. They're so intense when they're running, have you ever seen them? They can get up to like 45 mph, it’s like they're designed to do nothing else, but they're actually really gentle and chill, like total lazy bums when they're not racing. I don't know, I just like them. 

 

[Dean]  
Such a geek, I swear. It's dogs, dude! Only you, Sammy, mph, seriously?

Are those the ones with like super long legs? Cuz that would explain so much

 

[Sam]  
Yeah they're the long skinny fast ones. And they're awesome, don't be a dick. 

 

[Dean]  
That's why you like them, you're like twins. Want me to take you to the park tomorrow?

 

[Sam]  
Yeah and maybe after you can scratch my ears and rub my belly. 

Hey that actually sounds like a good plan. You should take the day off tomorrow and stay home with me. 

 

[Dean]  
Not go to the park so you can run around like the crazy? And I'mma rub more than your belly

Hey Sam, can I tell you something?

 

[Sam]  
I'm counting on it. 

Sure, what?

 

[Dean]  
Pervert. I was talking about your back

 

[Sam]  
How do you know I wasn't? You owe me still for that awesome foot rub last week. 

 

[Dean]  
Sometimes I kinda like scratching you behind your ears, with your hair all, you know. I don't know

 

[Sam]  
I know you do :) You secretly love my hair, you don't have to tell me. 

 

[Dean]  
It wasn't a foot rub, you were looking at the sting to see if the swelling was still there

At the spot I mean

Doesn't matter that my foot was fine

 

[Sam]  
Oh yeah, you're right. And when I switched to your other foot that was just making sure the swelling wasn't spreading. 

 

[Dean]  
I don't love your hair, it's a dog's hair. Ha!

But yeah, sometimes it's kinda nice to pet it and stuff. It soothes me, sue me!

Shut up

Wish you could run more and talk less. Smart ass

 

[Sam]  
You're doing most of the talking here, dude. 

Will you give me a back rub tonight? Now I can't stop thinking about it. 

You have the best hands, Dean. 

 

[Dean]  
Oh alright, fine, I'll do it

Shut up, they're not

They're rough and ugly

 

[Sam]  
You don't get a say in this. If I say they're the best, they're the best. 

 

[Dean]  
Sitting here thinking how damn beautiful you are

Bossy princess is back, how was the holiday...of all of two days??

 

[Sam]  
Your hands are gorgeous and perfect. Like the rest of you. You shut up!

 

[Dean]  
I kinda get I don't know, overcome with it, just thinking about you

I got calluses and I don't touch you as good and gentle as you should be touched

 

[Sam]  
Man, I don't know what to do with you when you say stuff like this. The way you talk about me, you don't know what it does to me, when you call me beautiful and tell me how much I mean to you. But I hate how it sometimes seems like there's this flip side to it, even if it's something small like you think your hands are ugly or whatever. 

There is no part of you that I don't think is perfect and no scenario where you're not good enough for me. I love your hands. I love the way you touch me. I love you.

 

[Dean]  
God man stop talking, don't say stuff like that when you're not right here, I don't know what to do with myself

And also, it’s really awkward, dude!

 

[Sam]  
Well tough.

 

[Dean]  
I swear it's like I lose my mind sometimes when we're together and you look at me, like I get this weird feeling like something sweeps through me 

 

[Sam]  
It catches me off guard all the time, how crazy lucky I am that this is actually my life, that I get you. I hope I don't spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, waiting to wake up or waiting for something to take you away from me. 

You make me really happy, Dean. You know that, right? I gotta tell you that more often. 

 

[Dean]  
Sammy you always had me, this is just all the chips falling into place. You always had me, you always will, ok? No looking over your shoulder. We're keeping our heads down, taking on some nasty sons of bitches but no biggies and no witches! We watch out for each other, we go home together and we got it good, we got it made

 

[Sam]  
Yeah, I know, that's what I mean. That I get you in all the ways that I've got you. That you're my brother and I always had you, that I have you now and we have whatever this is. 

All the awesome lovin' every night doesn't hurt :)

 

[Dean]  
Hell yeah it doesn’t! 

Car’s here, got a lunch break coming in a couple hours, talk to you then

 

[Sam]  
Okay Dean.

[Fifteen minutes later.]  
You talk about my puppy dog face, check this out. 

[](http://s275.photobucket.com/user/Ms_Wooster/media/Birddog1_zpsppmuxdss.png.html)

Tell me you wouldn't want to take her to the park.

 

[Dean, another fifteen minutes later.]  
Dude, she's fugly!

 

[Sam]  
Screw you!

You're a dick. She's not fugly. That's not even a word.

Jerk.

 

[Dean, ten minutes later.]  
Wow, dude, you wanna adopt her or something? Don't bite my head off!

It is a word and she is fugly, sorry man, calling it like I see it

Only the picture with her face is ok

Jeez, I can see why you like her, you and her have the puppy dog thing going strong!

 

[Sam]  
It's not a word, and on top of that you're just a heathen who doesn't like cute things and for some reason has an aversion to sweet dogs.

They hardly even shed, Dean. I looked it up. And they don't slobber.

You never could say no to the puppy dog thing. You're not gonna start now, are you?

 

[Dean, thirty minutes later.]  
I like YOU plenty. Sammy, with your cute outrage and your fancy words, heathen, I can't stop laughing, dude

Hold on, are you serious? Why are you checking if she sheds, Sam?

 

[Sam]  
Cause I know you won’t like dog hair in the Impala.

 

[Dean]  
Just to be on the safe side, NO!

No way! No dogs, especially no giant, fugly dogs!

 

[Sam]  
Oh, come on.

 

[Dean]  
NO DOGS IN MY CAR!

 

[Sam]  
Then how are we going to get her home?

I suppose we could fix the tire on the Buick and bring her home in that.

I don't mind dogs in MY car.

 

[Dean, fifteen minutes later.]  
Hello?? Are we having the same conversation? Can I board the train to Weirdsville you're riding or is it a one man show? We're NOT TAKING HER HOME

Sam, she's gonna wanna run around like a nutjob! She's gonna wanna come on the couch and we're gonna spend all our money feeding you both and your bottomless freaking stomachs!

 

[Sam]  
Are you done?

 

[Dean, two minutes later.]  
She's gonna wanna sleep in our bed! I'm not having dogs or any other animals in my bed, you hear me!!

I’m taking my lunch break early, dude, you screwed up my car mojo with this crazy talk

 

[Sam]  
We'll keep her off the couch and the bed. I think it's better if dogs stay off the furniture, you gotta have boundaries with them. She can have her own dog bed and she can come on our morning runs. And it's not like we're broke, Dean. We're doing fine.

 

[Dean]  
So what, we'll take her hunting with us? That's gonna go down just swell, have her bark at ghosts and ghouls and witches! She's gonna give the game away! She's gonna howl, dude! NO!

 

[Sam]  
Yeah, I was thinking about that, actually. The hunting thing.

For one thing, Greyhounds don't howl.

 

[Dean]  
Oh my god, you've thought about it for real

 

[Sam]  
But for the rest, I honestly don't know.

 

[Dean]  
Oh that's ok then, let's go!!

 

[Sam]  
We can figure it out. There are people who do dog sitting as a business. One of my coworkers walks a couple dogs on her days off. I don't know, we could work it out.

 

[Dean]  
You just wanna take her home cuz she's got the eyes and you're like a freaking softie! Thank god one of us isn’t and has got some sense left to think about this straight and I'm telling you, it's not gonna work

 

[Sam]  
Please?

 

[Dean]  
Why do you want us to get an ugly dog??

 

[Sam]  
You know when you said "let's go," I was hoping maybe you actually meant it.

 

[Dean]  
Dude, SARCASM!

What, you were ready to just up and get her??

 

[Sam]  
What kind of dog do you want to get? Maybe a lab or something? Or a spaniel?

 

[Dean]  
I don't want to get any dogs, they're like, weird! And you gotta look after them day and night

And now that I've seen her, if we EVER get another dog it'd be like we didn't choose her and we abandoned her, thanks very much, Sam, screw you!!

 

[Sam]  
So I didn't really do this right, springing it on you. But I'm pretty serious about it. I really want to get a dog.

We could rename her. Berta's kind of a dumb name. What would you call her?

 

[Dean]  
We can't rename her, she's got a freaking name, even if it's dumb as fuck. It's her name!

And we're not renaming her cuz we're not adopting her!

Quit talking about her!

Damn shelters, tricking you with their pictures with the eyes and the look

 

[Sam]  
I don't think it's a trick.

 

[Dean]  
Just getting some young idiots fall for their trick. LIKE MY IDIOT LITTLE BROTHER

 

[Sam]  
We could at least go see her. It's not far away.

 

[Dean]  
It is, it's a damn trick!

NO! Are you kidding me? We can't go to see her, you're gonna wanna take her home

 

[Sam]  
I already want to take her home, Dean.

It’s not a trick. You're just a sucker for the puppy dog thing.

Don't blame Berta.

It's not her fault.

 

[Dean]  
Well, it ain't gonna work on me this time

No, it's your fault, I'm blaming you for springing her on me

 

[Sam]  
I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I just want to think about it, okay?

Can we talk about it, later?

 

[Dean]  
I just want you to sit down and think very very carefully what getting a dog means. It's like, it's a whole other living being, Sam

 

[Sam]  
I've been thinking about it, Dean. For a long time.

 

[Dean]  
And I don't like dogs, ok? And she's gonna be there all the time! She's gonna need running in the morning and I hate even getting coffee in the winter, I hate getting up early, ok? If that makes me a girl, I don't give a fuck, I hate it!

 

[Sam]  
Good thing you have an awesome brother who loves running in the morning. AND getting coffee.

 

[Dean]  
But she is fugly. Look at her, how can you like her?

 

[Sam]  
And why does it bother you she's gonna be there all the time? Cause you can't just up and leave without thinking about the consequences? That's not WHY I want her but I don't mind the thought of having to be responsible for something that's dependent on me. I think it'd be worth it.

Dean, have you ever spent time around a dog? They're amazing! They're so freaking loyal and sweet and they just want to be happy, have a good life. They don't worry about anything besides making the best of things. It's awesome.

And they're good company when you're alone.

AND she's not fugly! Dean, she's gorgeous. Look at those eyes. Look how sweet she looks.

 

[Dean]  
Yeah. And did you stop to think that they get sick? Or that they just die one day?

She's weird! Her head is too small for her body and her front legs are skinny!

 

[Sam]  
That's not her fault! She's a greyhound, that's how they look!

Everything dies one day.

Trust me, I know that.

 

[Dean]  
I just read what it says about her. Tricking people, making her sound lovable and cute, I'm not falling for that! I bet she growls at you and bites!

Really, Professor? Wow, I had no idea!

 

[Sam]  
Oh for the love of god. Forget it. 

 

[Dean]  
What, you're pissed now? Cuz I'm not just making random decisions about having a whole other living thing in my life that I gotta worry about and take care of? Yeah, what's wrong with me!

 

[Sam]  
Like I said, forget it.

 

[Dean]  
I don't know, Sam. Things are good right now, things are finally going well for us. I just I don't wanna change that

 

[Sam]  
I get it, you don't want a dog.

 

[Dean]  
Yeah, but now I know you want a dog and I can't forget it

 

[Sam]  
Oh, and getting a dog would be so disruptive. What, you think I'd love it more than I love you?

 

[Dean]  
What the hell?

It's CHANGE! 

 

[Sam]  
Look, I'm sorry I just, I don't know, threw it out there. I guess I didn't think it was such a big deal. I've always wanted a dog. Like forever. And it just seemed like maybe we could think about it, now we're kind of settled. I've been thinking about it so long it didn't seem like a big deal to bring it up. Sorry.

 

[Dean]  
I don't want things to change, Sam. 

What if we take her in and she gets sick and dies?

 

[Sam]  
That would suck, a lot.

 

[Dean]  
Yeah

We haven't even seen her and she's already causing trouble, like this conversation is making me want to come home and see you right now and I wanna hold you. That's what dogs do to you!

 

[Sam]  
I don't know. Other people take these risks, though, all the time. I mean, people have kids, for fuck's sake. I just think it's worth it, is all I'm saying.

Dogs make you want to cuddle? Let's get five.

 

[Dean]  
Shut up

 

[Sam]  
:)

 

[Dean]  
And I said hold, not cuddle, I don't wanna cuddle, it's not cuddling!

[After five minutes.]  
If you're serious about this, we'll talk about it

 

[Sam]  
Yeah?

 

[Dean]  
Yeah

Just talking!

 

[Sam]  
Awesome. 

 

[Dean]  
I don't know why I'd need another dog, I got you. You slobber all over me, not complaining about that, though. But dude, yeah, you got the legs, you run like crazy, you got the shaggy hair and now you're wagging your tail, aren't you? Sap

I'll see you tonight, back to work now. Gonna love on you so good later

 

[Sam]  
Guess I'm lucky you let me up on the couch and sleep in the bed :) 

See you later, I’ll hold you on that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're happy to let you know that the real Berta has been adopted!


End file.
